The Florida Elections Commission has scheduled a hearing to determine whether state Rep. Paige Kreegel, R-Punta Gorda, should be charged with an election code violation for using his public office for political purposes.

The hearing will be held at 3 p.m. Nov. 12 in Tallahassee.Kreegel will be given five minutes to make an oral argument in his defense, according to an Oct. 20 notice sent to Kreegel and his accuser, Robert J. Anderson, of Lehigh Acres.At the hearing, the commission is merely deciding whether Kreegel should be charged with a violation. A second hearing would be held to determine guilt. Anderson, in January, lodged his complaint with the elections commission, the Florida Ethics Commission and the Florida House.

A House panel after a hearing in July dismissed its case against Kreegel. The complaint alleged Kreegel misused his office in September 2007, when he directed his former aide, Barry Millman, to provide information about the educational credentials of Kreegel's then-political opponent, Keith Richter, to his employer, Hodges University.Richter, a candidate for District 72 who lost in the Republican primary, had been hired by the university as an adjunct professor in the fall of 2007. He had cited a master's degree from Canterbury University, which came under question.

Citing the fact the commission doesn't release its investigative records until after the hearing, Kreegel said he would reserve commenting about details in the case until then.Documents in the House's investigation showed that Millman had called a Hodges University official to ask if the school was aware of Richter's questionable degree.Later that evening, Kreegel said he received a call from an acquaintance, Prof. Elsa Rogers, chair of the liberal arts program at Hodges. Rogers, who lives next door to Kreegel's mother in Fort Myers, wanted to know if Kreegel had any information about Richter's credentials.

Kreegel told her he'd have Millman contact her the following Monday to provide her with whatever public information he had gathered.

Kreegel testified he considered his response to Roger's request "constituent services."Anderson, who is currently a candidate for a Lehigh Acres fire department board, had been a campaign supporter of Richter in 2007.

"The investigation is over with and they've set a hearing, so they've got him on something," Anderson said. "The only thing is, this hearing is Nov. 12 -- after the election, and if they find him guilty, I'm going to reapply to have the House re-investigate him.

"Kreegel's opponent in the Nov. 4 general election, Democrat Judy "J.J." Juliano, a Democrat from Punta Gorda, also questioned the timing of the hearing."I think it's too bad the voters won't be aware what the conclusion is until after the election," she said. "I think the voters deserve to know before they cast their votes."Kreegel needs to take responsibility for his own actions and not just pass blame off to others," she added.

By GREG MARTIN Staff Writer The Florida Elections Commission has scheduled a hearing next month to determine whether state Rep. Paige Kreegel, R-Punta Gorda, should be charged with an election code violation for using his public office for political purposes.

The hearing will be held at 3 p.m. Nov. 12 in Tallahassee.

Kreegel will be given five minutes to make an oral argument in his defense, according to an Oct. 20 notice sent to Kreegel and his accuser, Robert J. Anderson of Lehigh Acres.

At the hearing, the commission is not deciding whether Kreegel violated a provision of the election code or setting a fine. The commission is merely deciding whether Kreegel should be charged with a violation.

If charged, a second hearing would be held to determine guilt.

Anderson, in January, lodged his complaint with the elections commission, the Florida Ethics Commission and the Florida House.

A House panel after a hearing in July dismissed its case against Kreegel.

The complaint alleged Kreegel misused his office in September 2007, when he directed his former aide, Barry Millman, to provide information about the educational credentials of Kreegel's then-political opponent, Keith Richter, to his employer, Hodges University.

As the primary election in Florida draws near just to remind the Florida voters thatRepresentative Paige Kreegel is currently being investigated for criminal behavior by Florida Department of Law Enforcementand is being investigated by both the Florida Commissions on Ethics and Elections for elections deceit.

Recently we attended a worship service that Rep Paige Kreegel politically spoke it, He spoke in both Spanish and English, that’s a first. But what troubles us (as voters) that he used his middle finger of this right hand in an unprofessional manner during the worship service. Is this a man that we the voters what in the office to represent us in Tallahassee? His own daughters sat beside him when he did this. There were also so many very young children and families in the audience, where is his dignity to God and his follower man. Does this action represent the values of Lehigh Acres and the House District 72?

The Florida House of Representatives will not pursue action against a state lawmaker accused of using his office to undermine a political opponent."

Rep. Paige Kreegel, R-Punta Gorda, did not engage in electioneering — asking people to vote for or against someone — when he raised questions about the education background of his opponent, a panel of his peers determined Tuesday after a probable cause hearing.

The three lawmakers on the House panel quickly dispensed of the case, but the sole Democrat said the incident left much concern.

"I hope, if nothing else, that this sends a message to our colleagues in the Legislature, future legislators, that this kind of action is troubling," said Rep. Curtis Richardson, D-Tallahassee.

Here's what happened:

Kreegel was notified in September that his opponent in the 2008 election, Keith Richter, had a job at a Hodges University campus in Fort Myers but claimed to be obtaining a doctorate from a school that is not accredited in the United States.

Records show that Kreegel's legislative aide, Barry Millman, contacted the school, and Richter was demoted from adjunct professor to teaching assistant. Kreegel said he asked Millman to make the call, according to a statement he provided.But while Millman lost his job amid the controversy, the House panel said there was not sufficient evidence to suggest his boss violated a state law forbidding employees from using their state office during working hours to further a political campaign.

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